Project or Life?
by SheS writer
Summary: Sabeilla Diles is forced to dress in seductive clothing and lure Human males. Sabeilla Diles is a Tactmere, or a Vampire in Human words. Gabrek Cose is a poor boy. He attends school with Sabeilla Diles, but he would never suspect that she would throw his life out of balance. When they touch, an ancient prophecy comes alive and the choice to live or die must be made.


Project or Life?

Chapter One

Their footsteps echo in my head. I'll never understand why they follow me like this. I wish they had heartbeats, that's a little more comfortable to hear when being followed.

My own heart pounds in my chest, as I walk. I know one day it, too, will stop. I'll be truly immortal, just like my elders.

They don't approve of me being here. "The Human Species cannot be trusted", they always say.

But I've been here since the school year began. If Humans are so evil, then why haven't I seen that? I mean, I have seen bullying...but that happens in my own home town.

At least I'm not bulled here; the Human Species believe that I'm rich. If they didn't, then I wouldn't be able to step foot in this school. If it wasn't for the Arlos allowing me to "study" new ways to lure men, I wouldn't be here.

Senior year. Everyone was both excited and fearful. We were ready to graduate and move onto our adult lives…but we were fearful of what projects to choose.

We all knew that, as seniors, we'd have to do a project. Seems perfectly normal, right? Well, it would be…if our projects weren't a way to define what our lives would be.

For ones that want to become Mitlas, they must do a guarding project. For ones that want to become Hetlens, they must do a hunting/luring project. For ones that want to be Lashleks, they must do a collecting project. For those like me, the ones that are undecided to be a Mitla, Hetlen or Lashlek, we normally do our projects on something like the three to try and decide what we'd like to die doing.

Now, I'm not some blood sucking demon or some lovesick twit, like how the books make us seem. I've never drunken blood straight from a Human. I could never do that. I'm a Tactmere, not a Vampire bat.

Of course, the Tactmeres aren't the only races from where I'm from. There's also the Checterns and the Steimals.

The Checterns aren't a bunch of can't keep their shirts on, super buff, dogs. Most of them look pretty normal, unless they become a Mitla.

And the Steimals aren't a bunch of dark magic, Satan worshipers. They use the magic that God gave them.

However, I don't want to be any of the three. I can't be a Lashlek. I can't see myself posing as a nurse, or be exposed to fresh blood.

I can't be a Mitla. I can't see myself guarding the people from dangers, or guarding the Arlos. I'm strong enough to do it, but I honestly don't want to.

A Hetlen I can see myself as. I have the figure to lure hormonal boys to a Lashlek. I have the eyes to first attract them in the dark. I have the ability to hunt boys that would follow me…but I'm not sure I want to.

Some people think I'm only doing this project to get some Hetlen practice, and it is easy to know what boys would follow me, but I'm doing this for purely my own reasons.

The Human Species fascinate me. They're so similar to us in their social rankings at school, attitudes, hormones…yet we call them different.

My project, in my mind, is to show the similarities between Humans, Tactmeres, Checterns and Steimals.

Does that mean that, in the end, I won't be a Hetlen, Lashlek or Mitla? No. The Arlos will make me join one of the groups, most likely the Hetlens. I am doing the credit at school. The Arlos doesn't allow anyone to be lazy. We all have to contribute or we're enslaved…maybe killed.

Death may be extreme but, since our races are endangered, it rarely happens. Slavery, however, does happen quite often. The Arlos hardly ever leave their guarded grounds for errands. That's what their slaves, or some of the Mitlas, are for.

I did get into some trouble for my choice. The Arlos demanded that I'd choose. Thankfully my best friend convinced the Arlos to let me do this as a new extra credit course for Hetlens. And extra credit is always welcomed.

I sit in my seat. The boys stare at me. I toss them a smile then allow my hair to shield my face.

I hear the boys' hearts pound in their chests. They all sound about ready to take me.

But I should be the one taking them. I should be leading them away like my friend, Clerai, does. She gets all the guys, but I don't want to.

The limousine pulls up to the sidewalk. A Mitla opens the door. I slide in beside him.

"Hello, Sabeilla." He says.

I close the door as I smile.

"Hello." I say.

The limousine starts. The driver pulls away from the school.

"How was your research today?" The Mitla asks. "Has your medication served you well?"

I nod. I take the medication, the Arlos gave me, every day. It's the only way to protect myself from the sun.

Tactmeres are, unfortunately, weakened by the sun. Since my project requires me to be in the sunlight, the Mitla gave me some special medication that neutralizes the sun's rays to my skin.

"My research was splendid." I answer. "And, yes, the medication has served me well."

The Mitla nods then turns his attention away from me. I stare at the trees as we pass them. They keep the sun from touching the limousine.

The limousine goes deeper and deeper into the woods. We're almost to the Grove. We'll pass through the trees and into the cave. Some hiding Checterns will sniff the air and sense who's in the limousine. Once allowed through, we'll be able to take the secret passage to the center of the forest.

I should get there by three. That gives me until seven to get some sleep in. Our school doesn't start until dusk but, since I attend a Human school during my sleeping hours, I've got to wake up at six every morning and seven every night, in the Human perspective.

I step out of the limousine. I stare at my broken down house. I wish my mom and I could get a better house, but I know we're lucky to have even this one.

I silently creep into the house. I don't want to wake my mom. She works hard, and I know she needs her rest.

I slide into bed. I pull my covers over my mouth. I toss and turn a few times, before I finally find my most comfortable spot and settle to sleep.


End file.
